Fermented Veggies

[PunkRotten]

Hi,


So I am looking for people who have experience pickling/fermenting veggies. I have interest in pickling cucumbers, carrots, radish, beets, peppers, and maybe sauerkraut. I have been reading and watching youtube videos but still feel I don't know what to do. Another thing most of the recipes are not raw recipes. There is boiling involved. So I am looking for non-boil methods.


I am still confused/worried about making the brine. I am worried it is not safe enough. I guess I have not found a safe and proven raw brine solution . I guess I am looking for simple instructions how to make raw pickles.

I also have a few questions I hope could be answered.


1. How long does it take for the pickles to be ready?

2. How long do the pickles last?

3. Can they be put on the counter/in the cupboard or do they have to be refrigerated?

4. Do I need any special "starter culture" when making the pickles?

Thanks

[DebB]

You may find this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19zcNVyJ6TE&feature=plcp&context=C349f2baUDOEgsToPDskLkOzYSBTN6VwkXoM78Hhis )informative, by It's a High Raw Life. *Ü*

[PunkRotten]

When you ferment veggies do you have to replace the lids after each use? Thanks for the link BTW.

[qwerty988]

When you ferment veggies do you have to replace the lids after each use? Thanks for the link BTW.

Not sure this answers your question, but I make kimchi and I use large mason jars. The lids are metal and re-usable so I just put them through the dishwasher.

[DebB]

Like qwerty, I also reuse my lids. I've never made pickles before - I hope yours turn out great!

[Traceyraw]

Not sure this answers your question, but I make kimchi and I use large mason jars. The lids are metal and re-usable so I just put them through the dishwasher.

I love Kim Chi, Can I have your recipe PLEASE>

[PunkRotten]

At first I was gonna ferment some radishes from ym garden. I only had a few though, after cutting them up, putting them in a bowl, sprinkling salt on them, letting them sit, then pounding/squeezing them, I found out I did not have enough. And it only filled half way in the jar and I could not even get my hand down in there to push it. So I cut up some carrots, celery, and ginger and added that. Then I turned the whole thing into pickles. 2 cups of water with like 1 1/2 tablespoon - 2 tablespoons of salt. A few bits of celery floated but after a short time everything is under the water.

Not sure how this is gonna work out. I guess I will leave it on the counter for a few days then in the fridge for like a week then taste it.

[PunkRotten]

Like qwerty, I also reuse my lids. I've never made pickles before - I hope yours turn out great!

Do you have those lids that are 2 piece? The lid with the ring? I hear people talking about replacing lids, when are you supposed to do that? I was thinking about plastic lids too but I hear they are not air tight.

[DebB]

I have both lids PR - the plastic lids and the canning lids (flat & ring). I have only used the plastic lids when fermenting as I didn't want it air tight - I had to leave room for the liquid to expand. And expand it did. I set the kraut jars in a container to catch the overflow. I'm not a fermenting expert though by any stretch, so I don't know when you're supposed to replace lids.

I know sometimes the rings can start getting rusty, but the ring doesn't come into contact with the food, so I'm not sure.

[Rawchicadeedee]

I will blow my own trumpet and admit I am QUEEN BEE of fermenting :)

I have many recipies , tips and tricks.

I think I may be one of very very few whom use urine as a brine.

Ask away :)

[GreginND]

.

I think I may be one of very very few whom use urine as a brine.

Ask away :)

Um . . . Why?

[michigan roman]

yes , why x 1,000,000 , lol

[MysticTree]

There is a drinking and using urine on skin thread or threads if you look for them but I tend to agree that it isn't the first thing (and is probably close to the last thing) that most people would opt for.

[PunkRotten]

I will blow my own trumpet and admit I am QUEEN BEE of fermenting :)

I have many recipies , tips and tricks.

I think I may be one of very very few whom use urine as a brine.

Ask away :)


Well so far I made Pickles and Sauerkraut. I just wanna make sure I did not do anything wrong and it is safe to eat. For the pickles I put carrots, celery, ginger, and radish in a jar. Added water and around 2 tablespoons of salt. I let this sit on the counter for a week and now it is in the fridge. I made sure to keep all the veggies under the water the whole time.


For the Sauerkraut, I cut up all the cabbage and added some carrots. Put it all in a big bowl and sprinkled about a tablespoon of salt over the cabbage/carrots and let sit an hour. Then I massaged it really well and got lots of juice to come out. Then I stuffed into jars and pushed down hard on it till juices were above the Kraut. This has been on the counter since 12/23 and is bubbling. I open it ever day for gas to escape and keep the Kraut pushed down below the juice.

Now, my questions are: Did I do everything right? How long do I let it sit to ferment? After fermenting do I let it sit longer in the fridge to develop more taste? How long can I store this for before it goes bad?

[qwerty988]

I love Kim Chi, Can I have your recipe PLEASE>

Sorry, just saw this! Kimchi's easy, the only challenge is locating authentic Korean chili powder. I use napa cabbage and also regular green cabbage and bok choy. Also add carrots and daikon radish when I have it.

Here's the best site I've found in terms of a recipe:

http://gregcooks.blogspot.com/2007/11/kimchee-tutorial.html

[DebB]

That was rawchicadee's one and only post - I'm guessing it was a spam. I mean - using urine in the brine? Good Lord....

[michigan roman]

ex member here , and excellent raw chef carm solei at this link to her awesome blog makes saurkraut : http://thesunnyrawkitchen.blogspot.com/2007/08/fabulous-ferments-making-sauerkraut.html

[kittupeter12]

Not sure this answers your question, but I make kimchi and I use large mason jars. The lids are metal and re-usable so I just put them through the dishwasher.

[GreginND]

Sorry, just saw this! Kimchi's easy, the only challenge is locating authentic Korean chili powder. I use napa cabbage and also regular green cabbage and bok choy. Also add carrots and daikon radish when I have it.

Here's the best site I've found in terms of a recipe:

http://gregcooks.blogspot.com/2007/11/kimchee-tutorial.html

Thanks. I posted that a long time ago but I still make kimchi pretty much the same way now. It was taught to me by a Korean friend. Daikon makes a great addition. You can absolutely leave out the non-raw-vegan ingredient and it will be just fine.

[GreginND]

For the Sauerkraut, I cut up all the cabbage and added some carrots. Put it all in a big bowl and sprinkled about a tablespoon of salt over the cabbage/carrots and let sit an hour. Then I massaged it really well and got lots of juice to come out. Then I stuffed into jars and pushed down hard on it till juices were above the Kraut. This has been on the counter since 12/23 and is bubbling. I open it ever day for gas to escape and keep the Kraut pushed down below the juice.

Now, my questions are: Did I do everything right? How long do I let it sit to ferment? After fermenting do I let it sit longer in the fridge to develop more taste? How long can I store this for before it goes bad?

I think you did this just right. My recent sauerkraut sat out for almost three weeks and then I put it in the fridge. Don't even worry about it going bad. As long as the cabbage is underneath the brine it should not spoil. The natural acid from the fermentation and the salt preserves it. Let it sit out until the cabbage loses its green color and it is as tangy as you like it.

Many families make sauerkraut once and use it all year long. I found one blog post saying even after 4 years, their kraut still tasted fine (but the texture was soft).

[Traceyraw]

Thank You so much Im going to make it soon. Im going to try food town they have a great selection. any recomendations if I can't find it.

[PunkRotten]

I think you did this just right. My recent sauerkraut sat out for almost three weeks and then I put it in the fridge. Don't even worry about it going bad. As long as the cabbage is underneath the brine it should not spoil. The natural acid from the fermentation and the salt preserves it. Let it sit out until the cabbage loses its green color and it is as tangy as you like it.

Many families make sauerkraut once and use it all year long. I found one blog post saying even after 4 years, their kraut still tasted fine (but the texture was soft).


How long should I leave it on the counter before eating? So far it has been on the counter since 12/23. I made some pickled carrots and left them out one week then into the fridge. I ate a few but the flavor and texture is not where I wanted it. But it is still good.

[GreginND]

I would just keep tasting it until it's at a point you like it. Regular green cabbage seems to ferment a lot slower than the napa cabbage used in kimchi. My sauerkraut took about 4 weeks before it started tasting the way I like it. The color changed too to that pale color without any more green.